novelAbuy Chapter 421 Hope for the Moon Goddess's Escape Has Appeared!
Chapter 421 Hope for the Moon Goddess's Escape Has Appeared!
Morning light seeped in through the gaps in the carved window frames, spreading a patch of pale golden, dappled light across the ground, like scattered gold dust on blue bricks.
Qin Mu leaned back on the soft pillows of the low sandalwood couch, his posture languid. His moon-white robe was loosely draped over his body, the collar slightly open, revealing a small section of his collarbone.
He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on Yun Suxin, who was squatting at his feet, and spoke softly.
"Wash them clean. This young master doesn't like dirty feet!"
Yun Suxin's fingers suddenly paused, her fingertips touching that fair, bony foot as if she had touched a red-hot iron.
She lowered her head, her long hair slipping down her shoulders, obscuring her flushed face and the fleeting, almost gushing, murderous intent in her eyes.
She gritted her teeth, her molars grinding together with a rattling sound.
But she dared not speak out, dared not look up, and dared not let those murderous eyes be seen.
She simply pressed her fingers gently against the sole of the foot, dipped them in warm soapy water, and began to rub, inch by inch, starting from the toes.
Her movements were very light and gentle, as if she were wiping a fragile piece of porcelain, afraid that using even a little more force would bring about a catastrophe.
But her heart was churning with a mix of emotions, including anger, humiliation, despair, and resentment.
She discovered that this spoiled brat truly treated her like a servant.
No, they are worse than servants; they are slaves, ants, playthings that can be trampled on at will and have no dignity!
But she was powerless to do anything about it!
Because she had secretly tried cultivating again last night, sitting cross-legged on the hard wooden bed, holding her breath and concentrating on circulating her energy.
The dantian was completely empty, without even a trace of echo.
The meridians were also completely still, like a frozen river in winter, with no flow of true energy.
She tried again and again, from midnight to dawn, and from dawn until the sky began to lighten.
But the result was still the same.
I can't sense anything, there's nothing there!
This discovery nearly drove her to despair.
She dared not flee, for the faces of the elderly couple constantly appeared before her eyes, like two mountains pressing down on her heart, making it hard for her to breathe.
Her father's hunched back, her mother's rough hands, and the way they looked at her—like they were looking at their own daughter—warmed her heart.
She couldn't let them get hurt, she couldn't let them suffer the devil's clutches because of her momentary impulse!
However, the recovery of her cultivation level seems a long way off.
When will these dark, endless days, with no end in sight and no idea when we will regain our freedom, ever end?
Yun Suxin's eyes reddened again, and salty tears welled up in her eyes, but she gritted her teeth and held them back, refusing to let them fall.
She silently repeated these four words to herself: "Endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens."
Like chanting a spell, I repeated it over and over, trying to numb my wounded heart with those four words.
Yun Suxin finally finished washing.
Those feet were fair and clean, without a trace of odor, and even had a faint fragrance.
Numbly, she lifted the feet out of the water and carefully dried them little by little with a soft cotton cloth.
Qin Mu remained silent, leaning against the soft pillows with his eyes closed, his breathing steady and long, enjoying the comfort of being served.
Yun Suxin straightened up, knelt at his feet, lowered her head, and spoke in a hoarse voice, carrying a deep-seated weariness and resignation.
"Young master... you're done washing."
Qin Mu opened his eyes, his gaze lingering for a moment on her pale, weary face.
He didn't say anything, but simply lifted his foot and put on those moon-white soft boots, the movement casual and natural.
Zhao Qingxue immediately handed him a warm, damp handkerchief from the side. Qin Mu took it, slowly wiped his hands, and tossed the handkerchief back to her.
He stood up, stretched, and his moon-white robe slipped off his shoulders. Zhao Qingxue immediately stepped forward to help him adjust it and fasten his belt.
"Come with me for a stroll in the streets later."
Yun Suxin knelt on the ground with her head down. Upon hearing these words, her heart skipped a beat.
Her eyes brightened slightly.
If she went outside, she would have a much greater chance of escaping.
The streets were crowded and bustling with traffic, and the alleys stretched out in all directions. If she found the right opportunity, perhaps—
She suppressed the turmoil within her and nodded numbly, her voice low.
"Yes...Young Master."
She stood up, picked up the basin of water for washing her feet, lowered her head, and quickly walked out of the warm pavilion.
Her figure disappeared through the doorway, and the sound of her footsteps faded into the distance.
Only Zhao Qingxue, Yunluan, and Jiang Zhaoyue remained in the warm pavilion.
The candlelight burned quietly on the table, casting the shadows of the group on the wall, sometimes long, sometimes short.
Outside the window, the morning light grew brighter, casting a golden glow on the bamboo shadows in the courtyard, while several sparrows chirped and chattered on the branches.
Zhao Qingxue smiled, a very light smile, carrying a hint of worldly indifference and a touch of schadenfreude.
She walked behind Qin Mu, placed her slender fingers on his shoulders, and gently massaged them.
"Your Majesty, how long do you intend to deal with this Moon Goddess? Will you slowly train her as you did with me, or will you act swiftly?"
Her technique was excellent; she pressed each acupoint perfectly, making Qin Mu's shoulder muscles feel relaxed and soft.
Qin Mu leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the massage on his shoulders, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest.
"Han Zhong's army has just returned to the capital; we're not in a hurry to go back. Let me spend some more time with this Moon Goddess; she's much more interesting than Xu Longxiang!"
Zhao Qingxue couldn't help but chuckle, a slight smile curving her lips.
"The Moon Goddess would never have imagined that the纨绔恶少 (wán kù è shǎo, a spoiled and dissolute young master) she always thought of would actually be the Emperor of Qin! Right now, she's probably still plotting how to escape, how to recover her cultivation, and how to tear you to pieces!"
Qin Mu smiled as well.
"I heard that Xu Longxiang hasn't gone back either. That's perfect, I can keep him company a little longer."
Standing to the side, Jiang Zhaoyue couldn't help but smile slightly upon hearing this, curving into a gentle, graceful arc.
She recalled the days when Qin Mu "trained" her. Back then, she was like the moon goddess, filled with both hatred and fear. She wanted to escape but couldn't, and she wanted to die but dared not.
But looking back now, those days have become the most precious memories of her life.
She gently twirled the hem of her dress with her fingers inside her sleeve, lowered her eyes, and said nothing.
Yunluan stood by the door, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her back straight, like a sword stuck in the ground.
Her face was expressionless, except for a faint smile that flickered in her deep eyes.
Footsteps echoed at the end of the corridor, approaching from afar.
Yun Suxin returned carrying an empty wooden basin.
She placed the wooden basin on the shelf by the door, stood with her hands at her sides, head bowed, not daring to look at anyone.
Qin Mu stood up, straightened his robes, tightened the jade belt around his waist, took the folding fan from the wall, and opened it with a "snap." The ink plum blossom on the fan was particularly eye-catching in the morning light.
"Let's go shopping!"
He strode toward the door, his steps large and swaggering, like a rooster with its head held high.
Zhao Qingxue, Jiang Zhaoyue, and Yun Luan immediately followed, their steps light, like three leaves swaying in the wind.
Yun Suxin followed at the very back, her heart still filled with excitement.
She tried desperately to suppress it, to hide the hint of expectation in her eyes from anyone.
As the morning light grew brighter, it bathed the entire city of Linyuan in a golden glow.
The streets were bustling with people, and the shouts of vendors rose and fell. Steamed buns were steaming with white vapor, and the straw baskets of candied hawthorns were stuck with bright red hawthorns.
Qin Mu walked at the front, his folding fan whirring loudly, followed by four women, and then eight vicious servants with long knives at their waists and ferocious faces.
He swaggered down the middle of the road like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, as if he wanted everyone to see his moon-white robe and the priceless folding fan in his hand.
People on the street avoided him like the plague, all scrambling to the sides.
The steamed bun vendor hurriedly moved his steamer basket inside, the old man selling candied hawthorns scurried into the alley carrying a straw target, and a woman holding a child quickly picked up the child, pressed herself against the wall, lowered her head, and dared not breathe.
Qin Mu ignored all of this, or rather, he simply didn't care.
He waved his folding fan even more enthusiastically, and his smile widened, like a spoiled young master strolling in his own backyard.
Yun Suxin walked at the back of the group, her head down, looking at the bluestone slabs under her feet illuminated by the morning light.
She felt even more contemptuous towards it.
This guy is indeed an ignorant and good-for-nothing playboy, utterly disgusting!
His swaggering manner, his arrogant expression, and the group of fierce-looking servants following behind him all pointed to him as a spoiled brat who bullies the common people by relying on his family background!
She, Yun Suxin, the dignified Moon Goddess, who commands hundreds of thousands of believers and is a peerless powerhouse at the half-step terrestrial immortal realm, has now fallen so low as to wash the feet of such a person!
She felt a mix of sadness and helplessness.
Just then, a horse-drawn carriage suddenly appeared at the street corner.
The carriage was entirely vermilion, with a smooth, mirror-like surface that reflected people's images.
The car body is painted with intricate cloud patterns and crescent moon designs in gold powder, which shimmer with tiny lights in the morning light.
A glass lamp hangs at each of the four corners of the roof, its shade a pale blue color. Inside, sandalwood incense burns, and wisps of smoke drift out from the gaps in the shades, lingering around the roof.
The carriage curtain was made of the finest brocade, embroidered with crescent moons in silver thread and outlined with gold thread. It fluttered gently in the morning breeze, revealing a small section of pale blue lining.
The four horses pulling the carriage were pure white, without a single stray hair. Their manes were neatly trimmed, and their hooves were adorned with silver horseshoes, making a crisp and melodious "clattering" sound as they stepped on the bluestone slabs.
Dozens of white-clad believers surrounded the carriage. They wore long white robes embroidered with silver crescent moons, held prayer flags and incense burners, and marched in unison with devout expressions.
They chanted, "May the Moon Goddess protect us," and "May the Moon Goddess descend and bless all living beings."
The sounds were clear and loud, echoing in the morning breeze and drowning out all the noise on the street.
When Yun Suxin saw the carriage, she suddenly stopped.
Her pupils contracted slightly.
She knew this carriage all too well.
The entire vehicle is vermilion, with gold-painted cloud patterns, four glass lamps at the corners, brocade curtains, and four white horses. This is the exclusive vehicle of the Moon Goddess Sect Leader, and no one else in the Moon Goddess Sect dares to use it!
How did I end up here?
Could it be...?
Is it my double, Chen Ruoyao, who has also come to Linyuan City?!
A surge of immense joy welled up within her!
If that's the case, then she might have a chance to escape!
Although Chen Ruoyao was unaware that she had used her face.
But if Chen Ruoyao finds someone who looks exactly like her on the street, she will definitely be suspicious and follow her. At that time, she will definitely ask her to go to her and take her away!
Wouldn't that free me from this predicament?
However, there is still one problem.
If I were to truly escape, how would I explain to Chen Ruoyao that I had been captured by this spoiled brat? How would I explain that I had disguised myself as her? And how would I explain that I had lost all my cultivation?
Yun Suxin's mind raced.
But she never doubted Chen Ruoyao's loyalty.
She was very confident in the brainwashing she had received day and night over those years; she was certain that Chen Ruoyao was her most loyal follower and would never betray her.
Explaining how to handle this is a bit tricky, but that's a matter for later.
The most important thing now is to find a way to escape the clutches of this spoiled brat, break free from his control, return to the Moon Goddess Cult, and return to the throne that belongs to her, high and mighty!
As long as she goes back, everything will be fine, and there's always a way to resolve everything!